One of the ways to recover a UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) in a certain area, often with unknown surface conditions, is using a recovery parachute. After being deployed, the parachute descends at a vertical speed, which is the result of the ratio between the parachute size and the total weight and aerodynamic shape of the UAV. During the descent, the parachute system also has a horizontal speed caused by the wind drift relative to the ground.
When the recovered UAV, suspended under the parachute reaches the ground surface, high winds may inflate the parachute and generate enough force to drag the UAV frame over the ground, causing damages to the UAV and to the payload carried on-board. Further damage to other frame components of the UAV may be caused if the fuselage and wings of the aircraft reach the ground surface at a non-horizontal position, which prevents the aircraft from landing on its energy absorption component. There is thus a need in the art to develop a mechanism that would allow horizontal landing of the UAV as well as efficient and reliable parachute release.